Most Shared

7 Models and Skin Pros Share Their Foolproof Breakout Remedies

If your skin is looking surprisingly under the weather now that the sun is beaming and flowers are flourishing, you’re not alone. Spring’s temperature shifts and invisible (but debilitating) pollen clouds could be the cause of those unwelcome imperfections surfacing on your complexion. With our sights set on a spot-free summer, we reached out to the models with #SkinGoal-worthy glows and the pros who help keep them that way to find out about their cures for real-world breakouts.

Whether it’s a Josephine Le Tutour–sanctioned dab of clay right on the spot or an indulgent facial steam à la makeup artist (and founder of the cult organic line RMS Beauty) Rose-Marie Swift, a soft hand seems to be the favored approach for those with the most enviable complexions.

Makeup Artist Francelle Daly“Don’t pick. Instead, steam your skin and hold a warm compress to your blemish. The heat will bring the bacteria to the surface. I like to put a bit of benzoyl peroxide on top to dry and sanitize the blemish.”

Dermatologist Ellen Marmur, M.D.“I think this season change and pollen have caused skin chaos with acne and acne rosacea due to high histamine. My favorite fix is patience: Your skin wants to get rid of that zit as much as you do. Leave it alone and see how much better it is after a good night’s sleep. Definitely, positively do not pick, squeeze, or prick it—this triples the time it takes to resolve. Second, if patience isn’t your virtue, try an astringent like witch hazel topped with a moisturizer such as Neocutis Bio-Serum to heal the area fast.”

Facialist Kristina Holey“At home, you can always do a yogurt mask with some nutritional yeast. Whatever you do, don’t pick at it—that will only increase inflammation and spread bacteria. Also, don’t use typical acne products. They are often too harsh, drying the skin and breaking down barrier function, leading to skin that is susceptible to more acne.”

Model Hana Jirickova“Prevention is always better than cures. That’s why I always try to eat healthy and drink lots of water and green tea. But if I do have a breakout, I like to use tea tree oil on my skin.”

Makeup Artist Rose-Marie Swift“An infrared sauna or a steam helps bring a breakout to the surface. A dermatologist told me once to never squeeze, as it bursts and scars the skin. If you must squeeze, then use a clean needle and do a tiny poke to empty it.”

Dermatologist Patricia Wexler, M.D.“For an at-home breakout cure, start by spot-treating the area with a clay mask. Follow that with an over-the-counter salicylic acid gel, lotion, or retinol preparation.”